
Look and feel of the course
When designing the course in Blackboard Learn 9, keeping the look and feel of the menu bar simple and easy to understand will provide students with an easily accessible experience regardless of whether they access their course through a computer or a mobile device.
Guidelines and Expectations
Setting up guidelines and expectations for the course can be an important way to alleviate student anxiety. Among the guidelines and expectations to set are:
Accessibility
All online and hybrid courses should be accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. Courses should follow the guidelines established by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. That includes providing alternative text to all images, closed captioning for all videos, and making sure that documents are accessible to text-to-speech programs. For help in creating accessible materials please contact the Center for Educational and Assistive Technology at ceat@southernct.edu.
Instructor Presence
Establishing instructor presence in the course is recommended. This can be done by posting announcements, contacting students, and replying to discussion boards. One of the best ways to establish instructor presence early is through the faculty introduction. Creating a video to introduce yourself can create a better personal connection than through text. Best practices also recommend that introductions should not be just professional introductions, but rather provide students with some details of your personality and interests.
Engagement opportunities
Providing students with opportunities to engage with their peers diminishes the sense of isolation that can arise from working in an online environment and reduce course dropout rates. Discussion boards and group work can increase students’ social presence in the course.
Best Practices Resources
Arizona State University - Best Practices for Teaching online
Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences - Best Practices and Expectations for Online Teaching